Homes 'not being replaced'

THREE times more homes have been demolished in parts of Greater Manchester than have been built. New figures show that while thousands of homes have been torn down as part of a £20bn government campaign far fewer new houses have replaced them.

THREE times more homes have been demolished in parts of Greater Manchester than have been built.

New figures show that while thousands of homes have been torn down as part of a £20bn government campaign far fewer new houses have replaced them.

In Manchester and Salford, around 600 new homes were provided while, in the period 2004 to this year, 2,425 were demolished. Shadow local government minister Alistair Burt, a former Bury MP, said: "These demolitions shake communities to the core and some may never recover.

"This is happening on the doorstep of (Salford MP) Hazel Blears and it is now one of Labour's biggest blunders."

According to figures for the `Pathfinders' scheme uncovered by the Conservatives, between 2004 and 2007 there were 591 new homes built and 2,425 pulled down.

Figures for Oldham and Rochdale show 271 were built and 624 demolished.

The government points out that, despite these figures, thousands of homes were repaired, improved or refurbished during the same period.

Rubble

But the Tories say that taxpayers will be left to foot the bill as rubble piles up in northern towns and cities.

Mr Burt claims the government initiative was designed to generate headlines, not regenerate communities.

"These figures show that the only thing on track are demolitions. The Community Secretary Hazel Blears should get a grip of this and apologise," said Mr Burt.

A spokesman for Ms Blears' Communities and Local Government Department said: "The housing market renewal programme will have built, refurbished and improved more than four times as many homes as have been demolished, according to our estimates for the end of the year."

In the Manchester and Salford area more than 4,300 homes were repaired or improved in 2004, more than 2,400 the following year, more than 2,300 last year and an estimated 866 this year. In Oldham and Rochdale there were 832 refurbishments in 2004, more than 1,000 the following year, 278 last year and 240 this year.